Katrina Recovery Ministries
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| Within a few days of Hurricane Katrina, the SFC community came
together to brainstorm on how to assist in the recovery process. Our
plans from that initial meeting was laid out in a letter
and included the formation of teams, initial fundraising efforts,
"pack a box" collection and the sending volunteers to the
Gulf Region. |
Past Relief Efforts
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| Our initial activities were with partners that were able to
accurately assess immediate relief and stabilization needs and
provide the infrastructure to make effective use of SFC's
participation. Through one of these partners, City
Team Ministries, we have been able to quickly send multiple
teams totaling over 60 people. You can read about first-hand
experiences from some of these early teams. The Financial
Gifts page describes where $215,000 in contributions from the
SFC family and friends is has been directed, including the partial
funding of the purchase of a large mobile medical clinic that
travels through rural Louisiana. |
New Recovery Efforts
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| In recent months, SFC has expanded its partnering with other south
bay churches through an informal network, in order to maximize our
efforts by sharing the planning and operational support including
developing a common set of volunteer ministry options to help in the
recovery. A flyer that contains information on these ministries
is available online, as well as in the church's hospitality center. |
| One exciting new opportunity, especially if there are enough
volunteers from SFC, is the "House in a Box" ministry,
where house frames are built locally and then shipped to
Mississippi. Bay Area teams then follow-up by traveling on site to
construct and finish the houses. SFC could assist other local
churches in building houses including helping this summer with the
current set of sixteen homes being completed on site. If enough SFC
members and friends express interest, the SFC Katrina ministry team
will make plans for SFC to build an additional house as its own
project. While local construction (a one day event) would occur in
early 2007 with on-site completion starting in the Spring, SFC is
ready to collect names of interested people and begin the formation
of teams to carry out this project. |
| So how can you get involved now? Read the flyer
to see what ministries suit your situation and make contact. There
are several summer and fall opportunities to go to the gulf coast by
joining bay area work teams from various organizations and churches.
One of the trips scheduled is for July 22-29 to go on-site and help
complete the building of the current wave of sixteen houses. |
| Please consider how you may be able to participate in the Katrina
Recovery Ministry at Saratoga Federated Church. |
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SFC is working with experienced partners to provide opportunities
where people and resources from SFC's community can be effectively
applied to aid both evacuees and those residents remaining in areas
devastated by hurricane Katrina. |
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SFC had an initial phase of fundraising to support immediate
relief efforts at three agencies, as well as SFC support. Phase 2
fundraising will go toward the current efforts and special projects
with partners located in the gulf region. |
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Prayer as a first response, not a last resort. |
| If you have suggestions regarding potential partners
for SFC to work with, please contact Greg
Davis. |
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SFC Volunteer, Dan, working
at distribution center in New Orleans |
| For questions about a particular activity within the Katrina
Recovery Ministries, please feel free to contact Greg
Davis. |
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Donate Now
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| Click the button below to donate online using PayPal or your
credit card.
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| Please contact Jerry
Bruce with any issues or questions regarding the online
donation process. |
| Alternately, send a check made out to: Saratoga Federated
Church, and write "Katrina Recovery" in the memo
section. |
| Mail to:
Saratoga Federated Church
14370 Saratoga Avenue
Saratoga, CA 95070 |
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